Warrior Cats: Beyond the Clans

Spark's Grief - Chapter 2

Spark picked at her rabbit sadly. Dark had eyes for no one but Leaf. It was a pity.

Leaf had been her best friend too.

She had failed herself, again.

Spark padded through the forest, following Demonclaw, her thoughts about Dark forgotten as she sought her revenge. It had been four moons since her appointment of Trusted Warrior, and she had finally found her perfect revenge. On the cat who had killed her family.

The patrol stalked through the woods, Spark nodding appreciatively at them. It was a moderate sized patrol, made for ambush. Leaf had come, as well as Ruthless, Nightfire, Hawk and Pounce. There were many cats in the Clan now, making it easier to stay protected.

Demonclaw flicked his tail and Nightfire, Hawk and Pounce separated from them. They circled around the cat's den.

Demonclaw let out a yowl and all seven cats charged into the den, waking up the sleeping tom.

Spark got her first proper look at him.

He had dark brown fur and amber eyes. His white paws were stained red, from blood, Spark assumed. His ears were twitchy, and his nose picked up their scent as he sprang to his paws, alerted immediately.

"Who're you?" he demanded. "And what are you doing here?"

Spark noticed he hid his paws behind his back.

Most likely hiding another murder.

"We're here to kill you," Demonclaw growled at him.

Immediately, a bolt of respect flashed through Spark. Demonclaw was being true to his word of revenge. How noble.

Spark mewed her agreement and arched her back, her fur fluffed out as she faced her enemy.

"I remember you..." the tom glared at Spark.

"And I do as well," Spark snarled back.

Suddenly, she crumpled to the ground, her head pounding in pain. A memory buried deeply came to the surface of her mind.

"Go away!" Spark had cried, facing the murderer of her family.

"I shall not," he had replied smoothly. "Why don't you go and fight me? I'll win, though."

"Fine!" Spark had retorted.

It had been a brash move.

The tom had lunged at her, ripping through her fur.

Spark had let out weak mews of protest as blood oozed from her fur, making it clump up.

"Alright, little kit?" he had leered over her meanly.

"Stop, stop!" she had yowled.

He had not stopped.

Spark had curled into a ball, defenceless against his sharp claws that rained upon her.

The tom had sliced a claw through her ear, and she had screamed in pain, the agony too much for such a young cat. It had only been a moon since her family's death.

"Who are you?" Spark's last words had been desperate.

"I am your worst nightmare," the tom had breathed into her ear. "I am Dusk..."

Spark struggled to breathe as her worst nightmare flashed over and over in her mind.

"Spark, are you okay?" Demonclaw was next to her, supporting her, while Dusk sneered at them.

"Alright, little kit?" Dusk sneered.

Rage. More than she had ever felt.

Spark yowled with pure fury and flew at Dusk, her claws lashing out. She felt satisfaction when her claws hit fur and blood flowed beneath her paws.

The blood soaked her fur, turning her light-yellow fur darken with red stains. She could feel herself tiring.

But her rage kept her going.

Spark bit scratched and clawed Dusk and ignored the throbbing in her legs and paws. Spark's claws hurt but she kept going.

She was only dimly aware of the other six cats helping her but she vowed with passion that she would be the one to kill Dusk. The tom was outnumbered and rasping for breath as Demonclaw sat on him.

"I surrender!" Dusk gasped.

"I shall kill you!" Spark's eyes gleamed in the darkness of the cave.

Dusk backed away, real fear in his eyes. Spark relished the feeling of him cowering away from her.

He deserved it. Spark justified herself in her mind. No, she would not feel guilt.

Her silver, sharpened claws fell into his neck. Dusk let out a strangled wail before falling silent and still.

Spark gazed over his limp limbs and wide eyes. His blood still gushed over her paws.

"I did it," she muttered.

Spark barely remembered the walk back to the camp. She barely remembered Leaf's mew of congratulations after they got back. She didn't care as much as usual when Dark only nodded to her before turning away.

She had succeeded.

---

"Leaf! You made it!" Spark cheered her friend as she was made a Trusted Warrior.

"Thanks!" Leaf purred, her eyes glowing with joy.

"How could you?" Demonclaw's voice was raised in a growl.

Spark watched with horror as Demonclaw killed Fang viciously before kicking the body away contemptuously.

"That's what will happen if you attack me," he said in a low, menacing voice. "Now, let's continue, shall we?"

Leaf was officially made a Trusted Warrior and Spark watched with pride. They hunted down Leaf's mother for her revenge and Spark emerged from the battle, wounded yet triumphant.

Spark went on a hunting patrol with Claw, Crowspirit and Pounce. They found a rats' nest and Spark raided it eagerly.

When they came back, Leaf went to fetch Demonclaw and he emerged from his den, his jaw dropped open. "Claw! Spark! Crowspirit? Pounce? How?"

Claw let go of the five rat tails that he held in his teeth. "We found a rat nest out on a hunting patrol. The rats there were so easy to kill! None fought back!"

"Come, add your fresh kill to the pile," Demonclaw invited.

Claw dropped five rats onto the pile, Crowspirit had managed to kill four, Pounce had caught six and Spark caught an impressive eight rats. She dropped them on the pile with pride.

"Spark, lead another patrol back to the rats' nest, I want to see if we can kill all those rats," Demonclaw ordered.

I will, Demonclaw!

"Yes, Demonclaw." Spark met his gaze. Lightning flashed between the two cats and Demonclaw hastily dropped his gaze.

What was that? Do I like Demonclaw too?

"Razor, Flash, Ruthless, Nightfire, Snake, Leaf, you can come with me," Spark mewed, trying to clear the fog.

"I'll go as well," Dark offered, shooting a glance at Leaf.

Spark growled, low in her throat. Dark was continuing to move onto Leaf.

"No, Dark," Spark had just opened her mouth when Demonclaw had answered sharply. "Seven will be enough."

Dark dropped his gaze sadly.

Spark led the way through the forest, her paws leaving prints on the snow. She shivered as a snowflake fell onto her nose.

Leaf danced around, excited as a pup. Ruthless was serene as always and sat down quietly. Flash and Razor joined Leaf and the three of them gambolled around. Ruthless, Nightfire and Snake started sniffing out prey among the snow and Spark gazed around the forest happily.